01 Feb Joint Replacement Therapy – A Good First Step
So, you’ve decided to get a joint replacement, and you’ve taken the initial steps to set a date with your surgeon. What’s the next step in preparing for your surgery? Therapy is a good place to start, whether it be your shoulder, hip, knee, or any other joint. A lot of people expect that they will need therapy following a joint replacement, but did you know that, according to a recent study, people who attend therapy pre-operatively have been shown to require less post-operative care?
Why should you attend therapy before having joint replacement surgery?
Not only can a Physical Therapists or Occupational Therapist provide you with specific exercise instructions to target your areas of impairment, such as decreased flexibility and strength, but a pre-operative visit can also be beneficial.
Pre-operative joint replacement therapy helps with the following:
- Proper use of assistive devices that may be required after surgery
- Mobility techniques for getting up and walking
- Stair techniques
- Advice for getting in and out of cars
- Properly performing required post-operative exercises
- Understanding and managing family expectations
- Assistance in planning recovery
In most cases, the above information can be relayed and performed in 1-3 visits.
What to expect after joint replacement surgery?
After surgery, your surgeon may recommend further skilled intervention. Physical and/or Occupational Therapists will work with you to improve your range of motion and strength to restore function to your highest possible level, which may be more than you think! Patients that stopped taking stairs prior to joint replacement surgery, due to pain and weakness, have been able to progress to “normal” stair climbing after a knee replacement. People who didn’t think they would be able to get down into the bathtub anymore because of the pain of bending down, are now enjoying bubble baths.
“I always tell my patients that you never know unless you try,” offered Stephanie Hernley, a Physical Therapists at Trio Rehabilitation & Wellness Solutions (Trio) in Boerne, TX. “As Physical Therapists, our job is to encourage our patients to make the extra effort and help them to succeed.”
Joint replacement therapy at Trio includes various techniques to manage pain and swelling, as well as to increase joint mobility and flexibility. Exercise programs are tailored to address specific needs in order to meet individual goals; whether that be walking around the grocery store, returning to work, participating in sports, or getting down on the floor to play with grandkids or grand-dogs.
In addition to traditional exercises, the therapists at Trio also incorporate balance activities, functional training (i.e. walking outside on the grass and rocks, crossing the street, stairs, floor transfers, kitchen tasks, etc.), and/or activity-specific drills (i.e. golf swings, tennis serves, climbing ladders, etc.).
Why Trio for joint replacement therapy?
In today’s fast paced medical scene, it’s rare to find a therapy office where patients are treated by their therapist, one on one, for 60 minutes. “At Trio, we strive to provide the highest quality and compassionate care, in which our patients and their goals is central to their recovery,” said, Hernley.
To learn more about how pre-operative joint replacement therapy can help you, give us a call.